Nine Ways to Shop Smarter

Do you want to know how you can never regret a purchase ever again? Shop smarter—that’s the simplest answer, which can spare you from remorse. Shopping wisely not only allows you to afford high-quality items and pieces at a fraction of the cost – it also helps you feel satisfied.
Read on to figure out what top financial experts suggest on how to save a hefty amount of money through planning your purchase and knowing the game most retailers play. Check out these nine tips for smart shopping.

1. Plan, plan, plan!

It pays to plan ahead of time. Know the pros and cons of purchasing an item. Make sure you ask yourself of the 4Ws. Who will wear/use it? Why do you need to buy one? What will you utilize it for? Where would you put it? If you don’t have any clear answer to these things, you may not actually need them. They can be simply called as your ‘wants’.

2. Be careful of special offers.

Cashback deals, vouchers, and special offers were created to lure you into spending more money. Never buy anything you don’t need because it’s on sale.

3. Tag a good shopping buddy.

Find someone who is knowledgeable at shopping and tag him or her when you need a buddy to buy new stuff. However, don’t let them decide for you. Remember, you’ll be the one to wear/use it, so better choose something you’re comfortable with.

4. Keep away from high-pressure promotions.

These days, advertising industries that are dedicated to determining what people consider crucial manipulate the market to make those choices. They have bombarded the marketplace with different expensive brands and products. For a rule, the more overpriced the product, the more appealing its ads. Don’t let yourself fall for these traps.

5. Shop online first.

It would be a wise decision for you to browse first online to get the best possible deals. Additionally, customer reviews and other significant details are also available online. This can greatly help you make an informed decision. Utilize tool like Shopzilla, Google Shopping or PriceGrabber to get results right away from a huge selection of companies.

6. Take a little closer at the reference price.

In marketing, reference price refers to the price that buyers expect to pay for goods since they’ve been purchasing them repeatedly. The thing here is, retailers know how to use this to earn more profit. Say for instance, you like buying 1kg of milk at $100.25. However, by reducing the weight of the milk from 1kg t0 800g, sellers would earn more without you noticing it. Being aware of this trick can save you some cash.

7. Take advantage of the search box when purchasing online.

To avoid impulsive buying, be sure to enter directly the name of the item you’re looking for on the search box or else, you may end up shopping more than you need.

8. Do not touch anything.

Lots of researchers found out that when you touch an item, the more chances you’ll purchase it since you feel you’re already its owner. So, do not touch anything.

9. Invest in memories instead.

While stuff like shoes and clothes can make us happy temporarily, nothing can still beat purchasing items because you want to collect memories.
See? It does not take much to become a smart shopper. Follow these nine ways and you will surely reap the benefits.